I posted this question just before the old forums were nuked, so never received a response. Does anyone know why the Solar Sailer is so outrageously expensive? It has to be one of the worst price-to-parts ratios I've seen in a long time (perhaps ever), and it doesn't appear to be heavy in unusual parts. . . what is the deal?

Well, it is a TRU exclusive, so I guess Lego can just about charge as much as they want because the die-hard collectors will definitely buy this set, no matter how much. Also, the new Dooku Fig is well....new, probably jacking up the price a bit. But even with the nice figs, it still is more expensive than it should be. At least at S@H this set is $55 unlike TRU, which is $60.

The Solar Sailer is one set I won't ever have to worry about buying. No parts I want, no figs I care for, and as has been said, one of the worst price/parts ratios of the entire SW line. It really is quite an oddity. If I may suggest a set where your money might be better spent...

Okay, so I'm doing this again. It may be a fresh start for the forums but I will forever hate it when people who get the best prices complain about them.

At the current exchange for Dooku's Solar SailorUS = 55 USDUK = 57 USD (And this is at the current exchange, if the dollar gets weaker again we may end up paying twice as much as you for certain sets)Canada = 60 USDNew Zealand = 63 USDAustralia = 65 USDEurope = 88 to 104 USDSwitzerland = 99 USD

I appreciate that these sets are expensive, and you have to pay lots as well, but please just bear in mind, you actually have it better than anyone else.

i agree that the price is higher than what we (usa) are used to, but it is a better set than i thought it would be once i built it. for some reason, it seems smaller looking in the box photo, not to mention it's featured at a weird angle that almost makes it unrecognizable as the solar sailer.

something that make this set even sweeter was getting it for free! i mentioned this awhile back but it's probably worth repeating. if you are able to get the tru credit card, each month they send you up to three $10 gift card type coupons, based on how much you spend with the card. i use it for gas, groceries, etc -- stuff i would normally buy anyway, and so far, i have gotten the new vader anniv. tie and solar sailer for free.

so anyway, $50 would be a better price, and yah, an actual sail would have made sense to include, but i still consider the sailer to be one of their better designs as of late.

remember also that the costs within the toy industry are rising due to global economics. Oil makes plastic and the gas that gets the LEGO to the store. the whole process has become more expensive. In the US the prices were low because we were able to keep them thus due to the cheaper infrastructure and still make back what we needed to stay in business, now that's turned around a bit on us. Just the reality of the world we live in.

Steve, I understand that the value of the USD has dropped significantly in the last years, and that expenses are on the rise, hence why some sets are a little pricier in the US than what we were used too.

But in the case of the Solar Sailor set, the price per piece ratio is just way out there. In mean, the Star Wars sets are usually around 11 to 12 cents per piece, and I would get if the 2009 sets were 1 cent above that. But the Solar Sailor is a little more than 14 cents per piece (and I'm not even going to talk about the Canadian price per piece ratio which is 33 % above what we're used to pay for SW LEGO sets). Heck, by comparison, for the same price, we can get the V-19 Torrent with 471 pieces.

So don't go and blame that inflated price on external economic factors, but the numbers just don't add up.

speaknspell wrote:remember also that the costs within the toy industry are rising due to global economics. Oil makes plastic and the gas that gets the LEGO to the store. the whole process has become more expensive. In the US the prices were low because we were able to keep them thus due to the cheaper infrastructure and still make back what we needed to stay in business, now that's turned around a bit on us. Just the reality of the world we live in.

Steve

Wait...I thought gas price in the U.S (well at least in my hometown) dropped from near $5 a gallon to around $2 per gallon? I really thought Legos would be cheaper because of this. And after the drop in oil prices, we got a completely opposite scenario in which there are now fewer pieces and considerably fewer minifigs in every set. But nonetheless, I still support Lego and this won't stop me from buying sets (but I know I won't be getting the sailer because I'll just pick up that Dooku magnet set).

Daz Hoo wrote:But in the case of the Solar Sailor set, the price per piece ratio is just way out there. In mean, the Star Wars sets are usually around 11 to 12 cents per piece, and I would get if the 2009 sets were 1 cent above that. But the Solar Sailor is a little more than 14 cents per piece (and I'm not even going to talk about the Canadian price per piece ratio which is 33 % above what we're used to pay for SW LEGO sets). Heck, by comparison, for the same price, we can get the V-19 Torrent with 471 pieces.

So don't go and blame that inflated price on external economic factors, but the numbers just don't add up.

Not to mention that the V-19 has a much better feature (the wing mechanism) than the solar sailer's open flap thing (at least in my opinion; I love my V-19). Think of the solar sailer price in another way. We had the set called the Republic Fighter tank, even more exclusive than the Solar Sailer because it only sold for a few months. That set, $5 cheaper than solar sailer, has about 200 more pieces.

one thing concerning gas prices - prices for sets this year were set last year. For the most part that won't just turn on a dime. In addition I know we're never going to be totally equal to the rest of the world in terms of cost, but the prices are working their way closer.

The exclusivity may also have something to do with it. Daz, you can tell me I'm wrong all day if you feel like it, but I watched this all happen over the course of last year. the cost of fuel last year devastated the toy industry. Prices had to go up this year to compensate, its just the pure reality of it. hopefully it will get better this year though.

OK i get what you mean. So I'm guessing that next year's (2010) sets will be cheaper because gas was cheaper this year?

As far as exclusivity goes, TRU "exclusive" sets are not really that exclusive at all, besides from the fact that you can't get them at other stores besides TRU and official LEGO stores. target exclusives are actually more exclusive, since the sets stop production after like...2 months. And TRU does mark up $5 , so I will guess than many will choose to buy through LEGO stores and lego.com since it's $5 cheaper

I've had people say that the Solar Sailer is not really all that bad and that it's supposedly around 12 inches long. But that is deceiving. It's 12 inches long, but only like....3 inches wide and tall. For $55, we have the V-19 torrent, with special pump/syringe-like pieces and has a 20 inch wingspan with around 9 inches of height and 8 inches of length.

To those who need Dooku, just go get the magnet set, and you will get 2 other minifigs that are probably better than the Magnaguards. And save the other $40 for another set.

But if you really like this set, then it's up to your spending preference.

lordvader208 wrote:As far as exclusivity goes, TRU "exclusive" sets are not really that exclusive at all, besides from the fact that you can't get them at other stores besides TRU and official LEGO stores. target exclusives are actually more exclusive, since the sets stop production after like...2 months.

shhhhhh, don't tell them that, we want TRU to be excited about their exclusivity

speaknspell wrote:one thing concerning gas prices - prices for sets this year were set last year. For the most part that won't just turn on a dime. In addition I know we're never going to be totally equal to the rest of the world in terms of cost, but the prices are working their way closer.

The exclusivity may also have something to do with it. Daz, you can tell me I'm wrong all day if you feel like it, but I watched this all happen over the course of last year. the cost of fuel last year devastated the toy industry. Prices had to go up this year to compensate, its just the pure reality of it. hopefully it will get better this year though.

Steve

Ok but the price of oil has been going up slowly for years as have Lego prices. Lego is made from oil products, and the price jumped big time last year so it is fair that Lego prices are up. But now the price of oil is around what it was worth in 2005. So will Lego drop their prices to match what Lego sets cost back in 2005? Or will be see another increase in prices, regardless if oil stays as low for the rest of the year as it is now?

=========================================================================We are keepers of the peace, not soldiers.=========================================================================

speaknspell wrote:In addition I know we're never going to be totally equal to the rest of the world in terms of cost, but the prices are working their way closer.

I'll give you that. The price difference between the sets sold in the US and in Canada has been decreasing over the past year or so.

speaknspell wrote:Daz, you can tell me I'm wrong all day if you feel like it, but I watched this all happen over the course of last year. The cost of fuel last year devastated the toy industry. Prices had to go up this year to compensate, it's just the pure reality of it.

I agree that prices should be a little higher this year to compensate the losses of last year because of gas prices. But that should affect all the sets, and not just one set in particular. I'm not telling you that you're wrong here : I say that I get the feeling that you're trying to put the blame on the economy for the price point of a particular set, instead of telling us the real deal here.

Personally, I would prefer it if you would be straight with us. Tell us that it's because it's a Toys 'R' Us exclusive (like you pointed out very lightly), hence why it needs to generate a higher profit margin. Or because the set features exclusive and rare minifigs (hence why LEGO has set a higher price point for it), or that certain pieces included in the set cost more to produce. Heck, I'm a grown-up mature man, and I can accept LEGO wants to make money.

My point is that you cannot blame the economy for the price point of one particular set. You can do that when talking about the global increase in US prices for LEGO sets, but not for one particular model with one particularly high price point.